Shani Davis attempting to make history this week

Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, February 23, 2003

Shani Davis may be the most groundbreaking world-class American athlete youve never heard of.

And hes coming to town this weekend.

So, who is Shani Davis?

Only the first African-American to make an Olympic Speedskating Team and the first American ever to have made the short track and long track Junior World Teams in the same season, thats all.

This weekend, Davis will attempt to write yet another chapter in the U.S. Speedskating history book.

He will be competing in the Dow U.S. Short Track Championships at the Bay County Civic Arena for the chance to become the first American  male or female  ever to make the World Team in both long track and short track in the same season.

"Hes just a tremendous athlete," said coach Scott Koons of the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, where Davis is currently training alongside Midlands Kristin Bedford.

"Its remarkable what hes done in a relatively short amount of time in long track. He has a lot of natural talent in long track, and thats starting to pay off in his short track."

Davis resume demands attention, to say the least.

He won national championships in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2000 and a North American championship in 1999.

He has competed on six different Junior World Teams and has skated at venues as far-ranging as Canada and Korea.

He has been a member of the Junior World Teams in both short track and long track three times (2000-2002), a feat no one else has ever accomplished even once in the same season.

The answer, according to Davis, may be as simple as a lack of respect.

"I sometimes feel that I dont have the respect I think I deserve … from the behind-the-scenes people in U.S. Speedskating," he admitted during a recent phone interview from Marquette.

Davis claims that his accomplishments have been downplayed by promoters for reasons not entirely clear to him.

"I dont know why that is," he said. "Maybe theyre afraid that if they publicize me the right way, then more black people will join speedskating (clubs). … Theres not a lot of diversity in speedskating."

Lest Davis seem bitter, it should be noted that he has taken that perceived lack of attention in stride. He does not view himself as a victim of racism; instead he keeps working toward that day when his on-ice accomplishments simply cannot be ignored.

"Thats life," he said. "Maybe someday Ill get better, and theyll have to (publicize) me."

In discussing his role in American speedskating, Davis takes a similarly reserved approach.

He shuns the term "pioneer" in referring to himself but doesnt mind the idea of being a role model.

"I just see myself as a good skater. I just try to do my best," he said. "If other people want to (take up speedskating) because they see me, thats great.

"I dont consider myself a pioneer because there have been a lot of other great speedskaters before me," he added.

While that may be true, it is also true that there have not been a lot of black speedskaters for Davis to model himself after.

So how, exactly, does a black kid from Chicago end up as one of the premiere talents in a white-dominated sport by age 20?

For Davis, the road to the 2002 Winter Olympics began at age two at a local roller skating rink.

"It was just something to get out of the house and have something to do," he said. "It was actually my mothers idea. She wanted me to get into dancing (on skates).

"But I always liked the speed of (roller skating)," he added. "I always thought dancing was for girls, and I told my mom that."

By age six, Davis had joined the Evanston Speedskating Club in Chicago, and at age eight, he was already winning regional championships in his age group.

According to Davis, he never really felt out-of-place as a black speedskater in those days.

"Almost the whole club was black kids, and we had a black coach," he noted. "When I started out, I just thought speedskating was a black sport."

As he matured, Davis found himself winning at higher and higher levels. No one seems more surprised than Davis himself.

"It just happened over the course of time," he said of his success. "The next thing I know, Im making the Junior World (Team). And the next thing I know Im in the Olympics. And the next thing I know Im making the long track World Team."

And the next thing he knows, Davis may be making the short track World Team.

In order to do so, he will have to be one of the top four male skaters to emerge from this weekends championships.

He believes he can do so. And so does his coach.

"I would say Shanis chances are very good," said Koons.

"Anythings possible. … Short track is very unpredictable," Davis added. "To be honest, the best skater in America is Apolo (Ohno). Id bet the house that hell win. But second or third is definitely attainable (for me)."